Safety switch assembly



Jan. 8, 1952 E. w. LA ROZA SAFETY SWITCH ASSEMBLY 4 SheeLs-Shee l Filed April 4, 1950 INVENTOR. EDWARD w. LA RozA ATTORNEYS Jan. 8, 1952 E. W. LA ROZA SAFETY SWITCH ASSEMBLY 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 4, 1950 JUE. E

INVENToR. EDWARD W LA RozA ATTORNEYS s 8 5 Rw i wR N 1, mA R no @nu ./J VL 5 Nl.. v zu, MT 2 Tl. m, A A. E W Y A m `w Z w f 5 w A m L H ,/7- w Y E m M S Jan. 8, 1952 Flled Aprll 4 195o Jan. 8, 1952 E. w. L A RozA 2,5SL338 SAFETY SWITCH ASSEMBLY Filed April 4, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet A "um Il 6l W Q Q wiwi ffy' i/J il i r fi@ ya 0%' "Wl g3 u v MINIMUM l ffy@ 34 INVENToR. EDWARD W, LA RozA Patented Jan. 8, 1952 UNITED STATES PA'LNT GFFICE This invention relates to safety switch assemblies'for electrical systems in which storage batteries are used and more particularly to a safety switch assembly for a vehicle electrical System.

yIt is'among the objects of the invention to pro- Vide an improved safety switch assembly which can be'niounted in any convenient location near the batteries, as on the back side of an instru-V ment panel, and can be operated both by reinote control push buttons andautomatically to interconnect and disconnect the batteries, or other source' of electrical energy, andthe associated wiring system, to interconnect and disconnect the-- energy source and the wiring system under op'n eratorcontrol and to disconnect the energy source and wiring system under emergency conditions, such as short circuit, current overload or upset or crash'of a vehicle in which the safety switch assembly may be installed, which provides a signal which is automatically operated to warn the operator that the safety switch is closed so that the system will not unintentionallybe left in this condition, and which provides an auxiliary circuit around the safety switch for use to operate a de# vice, such as a vehicle parking light, requiring only a predetermined small amount of current and will interrupt this auxiliary circuit if more than the predetermined amount of current ows through the auxiliary circuit.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following description and the appended claims in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a wiring diagram showing the device of the invention with the necessary wiring system;

Figure 2 is a side elevational View of a safety switch assembly illustrative of the invention showing the terminal side of the assembly;

Figure 3 isl a side elevational View of the op# posite side of the switch assembly from that illustrated in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a top plan View of the safety switch assembly; l

Figure' 5 is a front end elevational view of the safety switch assembly;

Figure 6 is a terminal sidel elevational View of a fragmentary part of the safety switch assembly with certain parts omitted and broken away to better illustrate the construction of the assembly and particularly the switch contacts; y 1

Figure 7 is a side elevational View of the opposite side of the switch assembly from that iliustrated in Figure 6 with certain parte omitted 6 Claims; (Cl. 177-311) 2. to better illustrate theV mechanical construction of the switch assembly; v

Figures is a longitudinal cross sectional view of an overload switch constituting an operative component of the safety switch assembly;

Figure 9 is across sectional view on an enlarged scale of a' fragmentary portionrof the switch assembly taken substantially onthe line 9;-"9 of Figure 5; and n Figure 10 is a cross sectional view on the line lil-Hl of Figure 4.

With continued reference to the drawings and particularly to Figure l, the arrangement there-4 in illustrated shows a vehicle electrical system equipped with a safety switch illustrative of the invention. The original wiring system of the vehicle includes a storage battery Iii, a generator Ii, a voltage regulator I2 connected to the gen'- erator, a starting motor I3 provided .with a lcontrol s'witch i 4 and the usual wiring system including a light circuit I5, an ignition circuitl I6, a horn 'circuit Ii, a circuit ifor accessories, such as a radio, and a voltage regulator circuit I9.

rihe safety switch assembly of the present invention comprises a` main switch'as indicated at 2l, having two xed contacts 22 and 23 and a movable contactA 24 which electrically intercon' nects the xed contacts 22 and 23 when the main switch is-closed.` The movable contact 24 of the main switch` is moved into engagement' with the ixed contact by a solenoid 25Y and is moved away from the xed contacts by spring means 25.

One sideof thebattery I0 is grounded, asindicate'd at 25, and the other side of the battery is connected by a battery cable 2'! to the 'Xed contact 212 of the main switch. The fixed contact 23 ofI the main switch is connected to one side of the starter motor switch I l! by a cable 28, the opposite side of the switch I4 being electrically connected to the starter motor I3 and the starter motor beingA grounded at 29.

With this arrangement, when themain switch 2| is closed and the starter switch I4 is also closed, the starter motor will operate. y

A conductor 3o is connected at one end to the cable 28 and is connected to a heater 3l for an overload switch and this heaterv is connected to the wiring system including the circuits I5 to iSinclusive of the original wiring.

One side of the solenoid 25 is connected to the battery connected xedcontact 22 through the conductor 32, the fuse' 33v and the conductor 3,4', andthe other side of this solenoid is connected through a remote control push button switch 35, hereinafter referred to as the' on button, to

ground at 36 so that the solenoid 25 will be energized when the on button is momentarily closed.

Referring now to Figures 2, 9 and 10, the solenoid 25 is mounted on a hollow base 31 and the solenoid housing encloses the fixed contacts 22 and 23, the movable Contact 24 of the main switch, and springs 25 for urging the main switch to open position. A lever 38 is pivotally connected at one end to the base 31 adjacent one end of the solenoid 25 by the hinge butts 33 and 40 secured to the lever 38 and the hinge pin 4| extending through these hinge butts and through registering apertures in the opposite side walls of the base 31. A connecting rod 42 projects from the solenoid and is connected at its outer end to the lever 38, and a bracket 43 secured to the base 34 at the side of the lever 38 remote from the solenoid 25 carries an adjustable stop screw 44 for limiting movement of the lever 38 in a direction away from the solenoid.

A frame 45 is supported on the side of the housingv of the solenoid 25 opposite the base 31 and a bracket 48 extends from the end of this frame adjacent the lever 38 in a direction away from the solenoid 25. A movable armature 41 is pivotally mounted intermediate its length on the outer end of the bracket 46 and carries a hook or dog 48 disposed at the side of the bracket 46 adjacent the lever 38. A bar 49 of electrically insulative material is secured to the lever 38 at the distal end of the lever and extends beyond the distal end of the lever toward the dog 48. A sear plate 58 is carried by the bar 49 electrically insulated from the lever 38 and this plate extends outwardly of the end of the bar 49 remote from the lever 38 and has on its outer end a sear formation 5| engageable by the dog 48 to releasably latch the lever 38 in position to hold the main switch closed. A tension spring 52 is connected between the plate 48 and the bracket 48 to resiliently urge the dog into latching engagement with the sear plate 50 and a weight 53 is mounted on the sear plate at the outer end of the bar 49 to increase the inertia of the assembly including the lever 38, the bar 49, the sear plate 58 and the weight 53.

The bar 49 is adjustably secured to the lever 38 for adjusting the engagement between the clog 48 and the sear formation 5| of the sear plate 58.

With this arrangement, the on button 35 can be momentarily closed to close the main switch and then the button may be released. The main switch will then be maintained in closed position by the latching of the lever carried sear plate 58 by the dog 48 so that it is not necessary to maintain the solenoid 25 energized in order to maintain the main switch closed. This not only eliminates a drain on the battery but also prevents overheating of the solenoid 25 and other disadvantageous results.

An electromagnet 54 is mounted on the frame 45 at the side of the bracket 46 opposite the lever 38 and is positioned adjacent the armature plate 41 so that when the electromagnet 54 is energized it will move the armature 41 against the force of spring 52 and release the dog 48 from the sear plate 58 allowing the main switch to open under the influence Aof the spring 25 provided for this purpose. One side of the electromagnet 54 1s connected to the battery through conductors 55, 56, 51, switch 58 and conductor 69 extending in the order mentioned from the fuse 33'. The switch 58 is automatically closed by the lever 38 when the main switch is closed, as is clearly illustrated in Figure 2, so that the one side of the electromagnet 54 will be connected to the battery only when the main switch is closed. The other side of the electromagnet 54 is connected through conductors 6|, 62 and 63 to one side of a remote control push button switch 64, the opposite side of which is grounded at 66.

After the on button 35 has been closed 1.o close the main switch and latch the main switch in closed position, the off button 84 may be closed to release the latch and permit the main switch to open.

A thermostatic overload switch 55 is interposed between the conductor 6| and the ground at to cause the main switch to open in the event oi the above described circuit being subjected to overload current. This switch is operated by the heater 3 I. A crash switch 51 is connected between the conductor 52 and the ground at 98 so that the electromagnet 54 will be energized to release the main switch to open in the event of an accident to the vehicle equipped with the switch assemly of the present invention.

A relay switch 18 is mounted on the armature 41 and electrically insulated therefrom. This switch is connected at one side to the conductor 55 through a conductor 1| and is connected at its opposite side to a conductor 12 and is closed when the main switch 2| is open and opened when the main switch 2| is closed. The conductor 12 leads to one side of an overload switch 13, the other side of which is connected to one side of an overload coil 14. A conductor 15 leads from the opposite side of the coil 14 to one side of a remote control switch 26 the other side of which is connected by conductor 15 to a fuse 11 which is in turn connected to the xed contact 23 of the main switch. The relay switch 18, the conductor 12, the overload switch 13, the overload coil 14, the conductor 15, the remote control switch 26, the conductor 15 and the fuse 11 constitute an auxiliary circuit for supplying current to a parking light or equivalent device when the main switch 2| is open. The parking light circuit is not specifically illustrated but constitutes a part of the original wiring system of the vehicle.

The overload coil 14 is wound for a predetermined small current and will operate to open the overload switch 13 and interrupt the auxiliary circuit if this current is exceeded by adding further circuits than the parking light circuit to the auxiliary circuit or by a short circuit in the auxiliary or parking light circuits. Overload switch 13, when opened, will remain opened until reset by the closing of the main switch 2| in the manner described above.

As illustrated in-Figures 2 and 8, the overload switch 13 comprises a flat spring 18 of hairpin shape mounted at one end on a supporting plate y 19 of electrically insulative material and carrying a contact 88 on its opposite end. A contact 8| complementary to the contact 80 is mounted on a bracket 82 secured to a standard 83 which projects upwardly from the frame 45 and carries one of the contacts of the relay switch 10. Two spaced apart apertured ears 84 and 85 are disposed between the two sides of the spring 18 and are carried at one end of a bar 86 secured to that side of the spring 18 which is in turn secured to the support 19. The bearing ears 84 and 85 are provided with aligned apertures and a shaft 81 is journaled in these apertures. A cam 88 is mounted on the shaft 81 between the two sides of the spring 18 and is normally positioned to force the contact carrying side of this spring away from the xed side of the spring and hold the contact 80 in engagement with the contact 8|. A crank 89 is secured to one end o`f the shaft 81 and extends radially therefrom into the path of a plunger 99 which projects from the armature 9| of the overload coil 14 toward the crank 89. When the overload coil 14 is energized this armature is moved in a direction to bring the plunger 90 into contact with the crank 89 and turnthe shaft 81 so that the cam 88 is moved in'a direc-f tion to permit the contacts 80 and 8| to separate; A second crank 92 projects from the end of` the shaft 81 in a direction substantially opposite to that of the crank 89 and a second shaft 93 is journaled in apertured bearing ears 94 and 95 which extend upwardly from the frame 45 at spaced apart locations thereacross. The shaft 93 carries at one end an arm 96 the outer end of'which is engageable with the outwardly turned end portion 91 of the crank 92. A radially extending arm 98 is mounted on the other end of the shaft 93 (see Figure '7), and a link 99 connects the outer end of this arm 98 to the bar 49 at the outer end of the latter.

With this arrangement, if the overload coil 14 is energized and moves the crank 89 to open the overload switch 13, when the solenoid 25 is energized to reclose the main switch 2|, the consequent movement of the lever 38 swings the outer end of the bar 49 toward the shaft 93 and the link 99 causes this shaft to turn through a partial rotation. When this occurs, the arm 96 moves at its outer end against the outer end of crank 92 rotating the shaft 81 a suilcient amount and in the proper direction to move the cam 88 to its position closing the overload switch 13. As the switch 10, which is in series with the overload switch 13, is opened when the main switch 2| is closed, the short circuit or other condition causing overload in the auxiliary circuit Will not cause any trouble when the main switch is closed since the auxiliary switch is opened by the switch 10 when the main switch is closed.

The main terminal of the generator is connected through a conductor |0| to the voltage regulator l2 and the voltage regulator is connected through a conductor |03 with one side of the switch |04, the other side of which is connected by a conductor |05 to the field terminal |92 of the generator. When the switch |04 is closed the generator will operate and when the main switch 2| is opened, the switch |04 will also be opened and the generator cannot operate.

As particularly illustrated in Figure 3, the switch |94 comprises a flat spring structure |06 of hairpin shape having one side secured to the frame 45 and its other side bearing at its free end a contact |01. A complementary contact |08 is mounted. on the free end of a hairpin shaped spring |09, the other end of which is secured to the frame 45. A pair of spaced apart bearing ears ||0 is disposed between the two sides of the spring |06 and provided with aligned apertures. A shaft is journaled in these apertures and carries a cam ||2 which, in one position, maintains the contacts |02 and |04 in electrically conductive engagement with each other. The shaft is provided at one end with a crank which is engaged by the end of link 99 remote from the lever carried bar 49. The arrangement is such that when the main switch 25 is closed the generator controlling switch |94 is also closed, and when the main switch is opened the generator controlling switch is also open. The operation of Vthe switch |04 is such that when the main switch 2| is open and the generator'is electrically disconnected from the battery I0, the output of the generator will be discontinued so that the engine will not operate when the main switch 2| is open and theV voltage regulator points will not be damaged.

Returning now to Figure 1, a conductor H2 leads from the switch 58 to one side ofv a condenser I3 the opposite side of which is grounded at ||4. A conductor ||5 leads from the conductor I |2 to one side of a push button switch |35 theopposite side of which is connected through conductor ||1 to a signal device H6, such as a buzzer. This buzzer is connected through conductors ||8 and ||9 to two switches |28 and |2| operated-by the front doors of the vehicle in a manner such that each of these switches |20 and |2| is open when its corresponding front door is closed, and closed v-.fhen the corresponding front door is open. These door operated switches are connected in parallel between the buzzer |65 and the ground at |22 and |22.,

Withv this arrangement, either one of the door operated switches |29 or |2| is closed by opening the corresponding door while the main switch 2| and the switch 58 are closed, thebuzzer H5 will sound indicating to the operator of the vehicle that the main switch is closed.

Push button switch |36 is normally closed and can be momentarily opened by the operator to discontinue operation of signal ||6 if one of the front doors is opened while the main switch is closed.

A manually operated switch |23 is connected at one side to the conductor ||8 through a conductor |24 and is connected at its opposite side tothe conductor 6| through the conductor 62. The conductor 5| is connected to the same side of the electromagnet 59 to which the on push button 64 is connected. If either one of the door switches |20 or |2| is closed with switch |23 also closed, the above indicated side of the electromagnet 54v will be connected to ground through the closed door switch to complete the energization circuit of the electromagnet and release the main switch.

Thus, with the switch |23 closed the main switch will be automatically opened upon opening either of the doors associated with the door` switches |20-and |2|-.

The safety switch assembly is provided with a terminal panel |25 receiving the wires by which the various devices, described above, are connected tothe safety -switch assembly. The body |26 indicates a supporting structure for the safety switch assembly, such a structure being a bracket orequivalent support mounted on the Vehicle instrument panel orsome other structural part of the vehicle.- The base 31 is provided vwith outwardly projectingapertured ears |21 through which` bolts `|28 extend to secure the safety switch assembly to the bracket or other supporting structure.

The clock 2|) is connected at one side to the conductor 56 through a conductor |29 and fuse |30 mounted on the terminal panel, and is connected at its opposite side to ground at |3| by a conductor |32.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changeswhich come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are, therefore, intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:

1. A safety switch assembly comprising a main switch for connection between a source of electrical energy and an associated wiring system, a solenoid connected to said main switch for closing the latter, said main switch being spring urged to open position, a push button switch connected to said solenoid for energizing the latter to close said main switch, means releasably latching said main switch in closed position, an electromagnet disposed adjacent said latching means to release said main switch to open, a second push button switch connected to said electromagnet for energizing the latter, a generator control switch,

means operated by said latching means opening said generator control switch to render the associated generator inoperative when said main switch is opened, an auxiliary circuit connected across said main switch, a coil operated overload switch in said auxiliary circuit effective to open 4 said auxiliary circuit when subjected to current above a predetermined amount of current, va signal device connected with said main switch and a signal switch connected to said signal device to energize the latter if said signal switch is closed while said main switch is closed.

2. A safety switch assembly comprising a main solenoidfswitch for connection between a source of electrical energy and an associated wiring system, a iirst push button switch connected to said l 8 switch connected between the battery and the wiringv system, a rst push button switch connected to said solenoid switch to close the latter when said first push button switch is momentarily closed, means releasably latching said solenoid switch closed, an electromagnet connected 3. A vehicle safety switch assembly comprising a. main solenoid switch for connection between the battery and the wiring system of an automotive vehicle, a rst push button switch connected .to said solenoid switch to close the latter when said rst push button switch is momentarily closed, means releasably latching said solenoid switch closed, an electomagnet connected to said means for releasing said solenoid switch to open when said electromagnet is energized, a second push button switch connected to said electromagnet for energizing the latter when said second push button switch is momentarily closed, a door operated switch, and a manually operated switch for connecting said door operated switch to said electromagnet to energize the latter when said door operated switch is closed.

4. A safety switch assembly for connection between the battery and the associated wiring system of a vehicle comprising a main solenoid to said means for releasing said solenoid switch to open when said electromagnet is energized, a second push button switch connected to said electromagnet for energizing the latter when said second push button switch is momentarily closed, and an auxiliary circuit extending around said main switch for energizing parking lights when said main switch is open.

5. A vehicle safety switch assembly comprising a main solenoid switch for connection between the battery and the associated wiring system of an automotive vehicle, means connected to said solenoid switch to close the latter, means releasably latching said solenoid switch in closed position, an electromagnet connected to said means for releasing said solenoid switch to open when said electromagnet is energized, means connected to said electromagnet for energizing thelatter, and an auxiliary circuit extending around said main switch for energization when said main switch is open, said auxiliary circuit including in series a relay switch closed when said main switch is open and open when said main switchis closed, an overload .switch vand a remote control switch. t

6. A safety switch assembly comprising a main solenoid switch for connection betweena source of electrical energy and an associated wiring system, means electrically connected to said main solenoid switch to close the latter, means releasably latching said main switch closed, an electromagnet connected to said means for releasing said main switch to open when said electromagnet is energized, means electrically connected to said electromagnet for energizing the latter, a signal device connected to said main switch, a signal switch connected to said signal device to energize the latter when said main switch and said signal switch are both closed, and a manually operated switch connected between said signal switch and said electromagnet for energizing said electromagnet to release said main switch to open when said signal switch and said manually operated switch are both closed.

EDWARD W. LA ROZA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile oi this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,139,757 Fassett 1 May 18, 1915 1,223,060 Louthan Apr. 17, 1917 1,950,194 Samad Mar. 6, 1934 2,476,938 Williams et al July 19, 1949 Wall Dec. 2 0, 1949 

